Sentencing delayed for father who admits guilt in boy’s fatal shooting

By Dave Toplikar

Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011 | 12:56 p.m.

Sentencing has been delayed until later this month for a Las Vegas man who admitted guilt for a 2009 incident in which his 5-year-old son fatally shot himself with a handgun.

Alex Kopystenski, who is under house arrest, has pleaded guilty to a felony charge of child abuse and neglect with substantial bodily harm in the death of the boy, Giovanni Kopystenski.

During a hearing this morning, Judge Jessie Walsh asked for an updated report from a doctor examining the father.

Walsh reset his sentencing for 8:30 a.m. Aug. 24 and allowed his house arrest to continue.

According to police, Kopystenski, who had a permit for the 9mm handgun, had placed it on the console between the front seats of the vehicle he and the boy were riding in.

Shortly before 8 p.m. July 20, 2009, they were going through a drive-in window at the Walgreens on Durango Drive and Warm Spring Road when the boy picked up the firearm and shot himself in the head, police said.

After the shooting, the father rushed the boy to Spring Valley Hospital and the boy was taken to University Medical Center's trauma unit, where he died about five hours later, police said.

According to court records, in May, Chief Deputy District Attorney Vicki Monroe argued that the defendant violated the terms of his plea agreement by getting arrested for DUI. However, his house arrest was allowed to stand.